Adhesives and tapes are commonly used to bond two substrates together to form a bonded composite. While a vast array of adhesives and tapes are available, advances in substrates and end use requirements continues to drive a need for new adhesive formulations and tape constructions. In addition to performance properties, environmental regulations and processing costs also influence product formulation requirements. For example, in some applications it may be desirable to use a hot melt adhesive rather than a solvent-based adhesive.
While some efforts are directed at the identification and development of new materials for use in adhesive formulations, much progress can still be made by identifying, selecting, and combining the proper proportions of existing raw materials to arrive at useful adhesives and tapes.